


Carnival Of Phantoms

by Dragon_MoonX



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Chronic Illness, Drabble Collection, F/M, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Blood, aurelini
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25657909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_MoonX/pseuds/Dragon_MoonX
Summary: Aurelini drabble collection focusing on Credence and Nagini during their time at the circus, as well as their growing relationship and the struggles they overcome.
Relationships: Credence Barebone/Nagini
Kudos: 12





	1. Movement

Being an Obscurial meant having a complicated existence. It was never one thing, but rather it was a combination of elements, both physical and emotional, that made Credence Barebone what he was.

If it wasn't nausea and exhaustion slowing his movements during their early morning rehearsal, it was sleep deprivation and muscle aches, his jaw clenched as he felt the Obscurus twisting beneath his skin. It had a way of coiling around his internal organs, flowing like liquid smoke and filling the crevices beneath his ribcage. It was distracting, to say the least. And Skender had little sympathy for the freaks who worked for him, cracking the whip and ordering them to keep time with the music.

When the sun had set and the crowds had gone home, Credence returned to his living quarters and collapsed onto the bed, not wanting the night to pass and another day to come. He wanted the world to stop spinning, just for a moment, so that he might have time to rest. But sleep was often difficult to obtain.

Credence closed his eyes and tried to make himself comfortable. The fingers on his left hand twitched, and he clenched his fist, opening and closing to relieve the tension in his muscles.

He tried tensing the muscles in his arms, then his neck and chest, measuring each breath as he allowed his body to relax. This pattern followed until he'd worked his way down to his feet and toes. It was a tedious process, one that he repeated on a nightly basis in order to keep his Obscurus under control.

When at last he fell asleep, he was awoken nearly an hour later by a sharp pain in his abdomen, his insides cramping, jolting him from his sleep. Nagini, who was asleep beside him, awoke to the sound of his cries.

It was several minutes before she was able to assume her human form, waking slowly as smooth scales transformed into human flesh.

"Credence, what's wrong?" she murmured, her hand finding his in the darkness of the tent.

The Obscurial grit his teeth and moaned, gripping the sheets and squirming against the mattress. His breath caught in his chest when he felt her hand brush against his, and softly he whispered, "I'm tired, Nagini. I just want to sleep."

Nagini sat up in bed, massaging his abdomen in hopes it might relieve some of his discomfort. It seemed she had done this a thousand times before, one sleepless night bleeding into the next, when suddenly she felt jolt, his flesh bulging hideously.

Credence swallowed hard, perspiration beading on his forehead. "Nagini," he whispered, unable to hide the fear in his voice.

"Wh-what is that?" she said, now staring at the Obscurial. Though he couldn't see her, Credence could feel her tremble and knew that she was afraid. "I felt something move, Credence. I felt it kick, like a baby."

"My curse," he muttered, placing his hand directly atop her own. "This is what I am, different in some ways, but cursed like you are."

The Maledictus was silent, a sliver of moonlight spilling across her face. When the movements ceased, he placed his arm around her, pulling her close so that she was lying on top of him, and together they drifted off to sleep.


	2. Leftovers

Sometimes working for the circus meant living on scraps, finding whatever you could when the audience went home. It was a form of punishment, Skender said, when their performance was less than satisfactory. It was also a form of neglect, because the ringmaster sometimes forget to feed his creatures.

It was during one of these long, hungry nights that Credence found Nagini, sitting beside the Zouwu's cage with a handful of food, offering it to the hungry beast. From the looks of things, she had picked up a small box of peanuts and a piece of bread. Dampish bread, that had been splashed with lemonade.

Credence cringed at the sight, remembering his mother's disgusting choice of foodstuffs. It seemed that no matter where he went there was always dampish bread somewhere close by.

"Nagini?" he said softly, moving through the shadows towards the cage. The Maledictus and the Zouwu paused, looking up at him. "Didn't you get any food tonight?"

Nagini was quiet, her gaze drifting towards the ground. It was enough of an answer, and when Credence looked back at the Zouwu she was eating the food out of Nagini's hand.

"Do you want me to help?" Credence asked, taking a seat beside her. He knew that Nagini would eat her own shoes if she was desperate enough, but he didn't want it to come to that.

Her expression brightened. "There might be something left in the stands," she said, brushing the crumbs off her dress. "I just wanted to make sure she got fed first."

They left the Zouwu and returned to the main tent, searching the spaces between the wooden benches for discarded popcorn boxes, soda bottles and cotton candy.

After several minutes of searching, Nagini managed to find a squished banana peel and an apple core underneath one of the benches. She brushed the ants off the apple core and returned to Credence, who was in the process of removing a soggy hotdog bun from a paper carton.

"I'm used to it," Credence told her. "We had a lot of dampish bread back home."

"You aren't going to eat that?" Nagini asked, motioning towards the half eaten hotdog.

Credence hesitated before speaking. "I can't," he muttered, lowering his head and looking at the floor. One hand crept across his waist, massaging his abdomen. "I think it's the Obscurus. It... it upsets my stomach sometimes."

Nagini gave him a look of deepest sympathy. She scanned the tent, looking for anything that might be edible, and spied a forgotten tub of popcorn in the corner.

"Will this do?" she asked, retrieving the tub and placing it beside him.

The Obscurial finished eating the hotdog bun, then turned to her offering. He tasted some of it. It wasn't too buttery or salty, and it wasn't soggy like the bread.

"Thank you," he said, smiling a little at her kindness.

Nagini settled beside him on the bench, nibbling the apple core and leftover hotdog. It wasn't much, but at least they had each other. Which was better than being alone in a place like this.


	3. Not Tonight

Sometimes a gentle touch was all it took to set her senses on fire. Sometimes a look was all she needed, one simple glance in her direction.

She smiled sweetly at him, a light flush coloring her cheeks. But it was morning, and Credence was usually groggy when he first woke up. He didn't see her advances for what they really were. He only saw a friendly Maledictus, offering him a pitcher of water as they sat at the breakfast table.

Right now he was focused on the sour feeling in his belly. He'd felt it since last night, hoping it would go away by morning. But it had only gotten worse after a couple bites of toast and beans.

He poured himself a glass of water and took a sip. This quickly came back up, the Obscurial covering his mouth as a sudden belch brought up a mouthful of mushy toast and water.

Credence gagged and forced himself to swallow. He really didn't feel like going to work this morning, but Skender was already calling Nagini, and when he looked to his left she was rising from the bench.

It wouldn't be long until he followed her onto the stage. He only hoped that he could keep it together long enough to finish the act.

.oOo.

The cooling winds of a late summer evening had settled over the circus, and Nagini was restless. She slipped out of her enclosure, leaving her cage in search of the Obscurial.

When she found him, Credence was lying on his back in bed, a damp washcloth draped across his forehead. He didn't hear her come in, but he felt her weight as she settled in his lap, running her hands across his chest.

"Credence," she whispered, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

He felt her fingers tugging at the buttons on his shirt, caressing him slowly, arousing his desire. It was such a strange combination of nausea and heat, twisting in the pit of his stomach and building in intensity. But in his current state, he wasn't sure if this was a good idea.

Groaning, Credence allowed himself to give into temptation, rolling her over and pinning her against the mattress. This sudden movement was all it took to cause an upheaval in his digestive tract.

Nagini barely had time to react before a slurry of partially digested bread, beans and greenish bile spattered the blankets. Most of it soaked into the sheets, the rest of it splattered across her arm, a few drops moistening her face.

"Credence!" Nagini exclaimed, the Obscurial coughing and gasping. He collapsed on top of her, and it was only with a great amount of effort that Nagini managed to roll him over onto the bed.

"I'm sorry, Nagini," Credence moaned, lying on his side with one arm around his waist. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

"No, of course not," she said at length, her mind still trying to process what had happened. "But it's okay, Credence. No one ever really means to. I'll just... clean this up." She said this rather awkwardly, her voice trailing off into silence as Credence closed his eyes.

Maybe some other time they could enjoy a romantic evening together, but not tonight. Not while Credence was sick to his stomach and Nagini was cleaning up his mess.


	4. Bruises & Bleeding

He knew it was bound to happen. New bruises, new scars, always the struggle to survive. When he lived with Mary Lou, he would explain his injuries with a simple lie, but nowadays it wasn't that simple.

"I... I fell down the stairs," he used to say, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact.

But this was the first time he told the truth, and it was a frightening story. One that he couldn't have explained to the Muggle authorities even if he tried. Because it wasn't always abuse. It wasn't always a belt, lashing out and tearing his flesh. The damage, he found, could sometimes come from within, bleeding internally, suffering in silence.

"Credence?"

The Obscurial paused in his work, sniffing and wiping his nose on his sleeve. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw a familiar figure moving towards him, the ruffles on her dress swishing softly against the straw that littered the floor.

"Credence," she said again, concern lacing her tone. "You're bleeding."

"Huh?" Credence repositioned the bag he was holding, the firedrakes in the adjacent cage all chattering and clambering over one another, eagerly awaiting their next meal.

It was then that he felt a warm trickle of blood oozing from his nostrils. The bag of mealworms forgotten, Credence set aside the firedrakes' food, still sniffling and trying to keep the blood from dripping onto his shirt.

"Oh." Another sniff, droplets falling onto the back of his hand, trickling past his wrist. "Oh, oh no. No, no, not again."

He quickly turned away, covering his nose with one hand while hurrying towards the exit. But Nagini made him stop, her hand closing around his shoulder.

"Look at me, Credence. I might not know what's wrong, but maybe I can help."

He flinched when he felt the weight of her hand on his shoulder, cringing and wanting to run away.

If he turned around, if she saw what he had become, would she even want to stay with him? Sure, she had her own problems. A blood malediction didn't exactly fall into the mild ailments category. But at least she had the option of being human for a while. She wasn't forced to exist as something in between.

"What's wrong?" Nagini asked, always so patient, always so calm. "Please, Credence. If you need my help, then I'll see what I can do. But you have to let me look at you."

"You can't help me," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "No one can."

Credence swallowed hard, lowering his hand and tasting blood on his lips. He could feel the Obscurus pulsing beneath the surface of his skin, veins of indigo blossoming along his face and neck, forming a network of lines not unlike those of a spiderweb.

Slowly he turned, knowing that she would run, knowing that he was a freak, and was met with a gasp when she saw the blemishes on his face.

The discoloration was spreading, darkening his skin with what appeared to be hideous bruises. At its center the core was nearly black, fading to royal purple that bled into violet hues and shades of pale blue. These colors were joined by streaks of red, blood pouring from his nose as he stood trembling before her.

Unable to look away, she stood with her mouth open in shock, knowing that it was wrong. They had people pointing and staring at them all day long. He didn't need one more pair of eyes looking at him as through he were some sort of grotesque anomaly.

"What happened?" Nagini asked, terror lacing her tone. "What causes this?"

"I don't know," Credence murmured. "Internal bleeding, I suppose... It tears at me from within." A low, shuddering breath, trembling now, on the verge of tears. "It hurts," he whimpered. "I don't... I can't stop it."

The strength went out of his legs, falling forward, into the warmth of her embrace.

"Come on." The Maledictus held onto him, glancing at every corner of the tent to make sure they were alone. "We have to get you out of here."


	5. Bruises & Bleeding 2

Credence was practically falling to the floor when Nagini led him out of the tent. He needed help, he needed medical attention, but the Maledictus didn't know who she could turn to in times of crisis. It's not as though Skender cared enough to help, not unless he feared for the life of his workers. And even then she doubted he would provide more than a warm blanket and a reminder that show time was at seven.

"Credence," Nagini breathed, watching as the blood dripped and ran from his nose. "Credence, can you hear me?"

The Obscurial tried to move, tried to force himself through the entrance to his living quarters, but it was no use. His limbs were trembling and his pulse erratic, colors and objects blurring as a sudden wave of dizziness turned the world upsidedown.

"Credence!" Her tone was sharp, panic rising in her voice.

There was a faint popping sound to her left, followed by the appearance of Popov the house elf.

"What is going on?" Popov questioned. "I is hearing loud voices, but I is not knowing what the problem is." He looked up as Credence doubled over, gasping and coughing up a fine scarlet mist.

In that moment Nagini felt her heart leap into her throat, pounding fiercely. This was it, wasn't it? It was finally happening. Her final moments with the Obscurial known as Credence Barebone.

Together Nagini and Popov helped Credence into bed, though by now his condition had taken a sudden turn for the worse. The Maledictus placed her hand behind Credence's back, telling him to lean forward so the blood wouldn't drain down the back of his throat. Popov stood beside the foot of the bed, his eyes widening in horror as Credence coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Isn't there something?" Nagini cried in desperation, patting him on the back as he started choking on his own blood. "A potion, a spell, anything!"

Popov's eyes traveled over the Obscurial, then slowly drifted to the side. "The master is owning a blood replenishing potion," he said at length, hesitating slightly. "But I do not think he is wanting us to use it."

Nagini's jaw dropped, scarcely believing what she heard. It was enough to trigger a change, her eyes narrowing in a predatory glare. She reared back, as though preparing to strike, frightening the house elf.

"He needs it," she insisted, a calm but deadly rage building in her chest. Nagini's tone left no room for argument, and within seconds Popov had vanished with a pop, returning momentarily with a bottle of deep crimson liquid.

Credence barely registered their presence as Nagini tried wiping the blood from his face with a tattered handkerchief. He turned his gaze towards her, distantly aware of hands, the feel of fingers holding him steady as she guided the bottle to his lips, helping him drink.

More than an hour had passed before the bruises on his face and neck turned yellowish-brown, fading as he muttered and groaned, half unconscious from the pain. His clothing, as well as a generous portion of the bedsheets were spattered with blood, the scarlet fluid now drying on his vest.

Exhausted by his struggles, Credence eventually drifted off to sleep. And while it was beginning to look as though they weren't going to lose him after all, he had given them quite a scare. Enough to make Nagini consider their future, or lack thereof.

"So this is how they die," Nagini whispered, wringing out a damp washcloth and placing it on Credence's forehead. "The Obscurus causes internal injuries, breaking down tissues until they bleed to death."

"It would appear so," said Popov, moving to sit beside them on the foot of the bed. He hung his head, feet trailing over the edge of the mattress. "The magical world is not knowing much about what is wrong with his kind, only that he shouldn't be alive right now." A pause, his ears flapping as he titled his head to the side. "You is knowing this, correct?"

"Yes, I know," Nagini replied, her somber tone carrying throughout the silence of the tent. "I know what his is. I know about the life expectancy of an Obscurial. But that doesn't mean I can't make him comfortable, maybe hope for one more day with him."


	6. Temptation

Credence liked to watch, observing the magical folk of the wizarding community from a distance. He would sit on a crate next to one of the colorful tents, usually hidden to some degree behind a flowing banner.

Everything in this world looked so different from the world he'd been raised in, and it fascinated him to end, as well as making him a little bit nervous. He would sit with his head down, occasionally lifting his gaze but never lifting his head as he remembered all that his mother taught him.

Magic was evil, magic was sinful, the work of the devil. It was difficult to move away from these teachings. But then he would hear the fireworks exploding overhead, the joyous shouts accompanying each colorful burst of light. He saw glittering rainbows take the shape of dancing dragons, flowers blossoming among the heavens, and thought that maybe it wasn't so bad.

The people were so happy. Just ordinary families bringing their children to enjoy the sights and sounds of the circus. There were fabulous smells here too, the scent of popcorn and cotton candy perfuming the warm summer air.

It was enough to make Credence's stomach growl, one hand massaging his empty belly as he watched a pair of children scamper off with some hotdogs and candied apples.

He longed to savor the sweet taste of a candied apple, even though he knew it would upset his stomach. Fruit by itself was fine. But when it was covered in a gelatinous layer of caramel sauce and sprinkles it made him nauseous after the first few bites.

Looking around, he began to wonder if he could sneak into the food tent and snatch an apple before it was smothered in gooey sweetness. Most of the performers had gone out to meet the crowd, handing out balloons or putting on an act to amuse their fans, so it wouldn't be difficult for Credence to slip away unnoticed. There weren't that many people who were familiar with his human form anyway, making it easier for him to blend in with the crowd.

Credence ducked out of sight behind the striped canvas, following the smell of popcorn until he reached the food tent on the northern half of the fairgrounds. He pushed aside the red and yellow fabric, and was greeted by the sight of seven cauldrons, all lined up in a row. They had been enchanted and were practically overflowing with food, from billowing mounds of spun sugar to bubbling caramel sauce.

Licking his lips, Credence stepped forward into the tent, his gaze lingering on a burlap sack containing dozens of red, ripe juicy apples. He was so focused on the delicious fruits that he hadn't noticed a familiar face standing next to the pile of apples.

"Credence, you're looking well this evening."

The Obscurial stopped dead in his tracks, looking up and seeing Nagini with an apple in her hand. She was smiling at him, the radiant glow of her beautiful features making his heart skip a beat.

"Y-yes," Credence stammered, his face reddening. "I was just looking for something to eat." He shifted his focus to the apple in her hand, and suddenly it dawned on him.

There she was, the proverbial snake in the Garden of Eden, offering him a piece of forbidden fruit.

He could try to resist temptation, turn around and simply leave her be. But the poor man was starving, craving something more than sustenance. He hungered for affection, for the feel of hands caressing his skin.

Still smiling, she offered him the apple, adding that there was plenty to go around.

Credence looked at her in silence, eyeing the delicious piece of fruit. One bite was enough to seal his fate, their bonds cemented in this unholy union of man and beast.

'The snake was made to crawl on its belly for a reason, as punishment,' Credence thought. But did she deserve it? Did any of them deserve to live in a world where they were ridiculed for their differences on a daily basis? No, of course not. No one did.

And so he reached for the fruit and took a bite, savoring its taste as well as his time with her. It was worth it, he thought, to fall so far just to be near someone he loved. Worth it, no matter what it cost him in the end.


	7. Nighttime Observations

Sometimes, when you spend enough time with someone, you begin to notice their little quirks and habits. You begin to learn their most intimate secrets, sharing what you know and learning along the way.

And so it was that Nagini learned of Credence's innocent nature, his desire to be loved and his search for his identity. She observed his habits, noting the way he flinched whenever someone called his name. But it wasn't until they went to bed one night that she discovered a secret even he himself didn't know about.

It was well past midnight when Nagini awoke, hearing Credence snuffling and muttering beside her. The Obscurial had a habit of talking in his sleep. This she already knew, but when she opened her eyes and gazed at him in the darkness of the tent, she could just make out the shape of a hand held in front of his face.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Nagini reverted back to her human form. In this form she could see him better, her vision clearing as she gazed at her sleeping friend.

Credence had placed the tip of his thumb between his lips, his fingers curling as he lay on his side, his knees drawn up against his stomach. And although he wasn't sucking his thumb, his resemblance to a sleeping child was unmistakable. It was enough to make Nagini's heart flutter, his childish innocence causing a smile to blossom on her lips.

She settled beside him once more, listening as his voice faded into silence. Gradually his breathing slowed, falling back into the rhythm of a deep peaceful sleep. She too joined him in slumber, her chin resting on his shoulder as he slept.


	8. Silken Textiles

He thought it was a curse, an illness eating away at his core. That's what they called it. But Nagini had shown him that there was beauty in his condition, seeing it as something more than a nightmarish affliction.

"But how...?" Credence breathed, the darkness surrounding them, pressing like a weight upon his chest.

His own inner shadows pulsed in time with his heart, a greater burden, reminding him of his fate. It made him stop and wonder... how could he find beauty in what he had become?

The serpent flicked her tongue at him, her scales transforming into smooth skin, and she smiled at him. "Think, Credence," she said softly, moving to sit beside him on the bed. "What can you do with it?"

Credence let his gaze drift towards the floor, twitching and wringing his hands. "I can make people hurt," he told her, thinking back on what had happened in New York.

"You're focusing on the negativity," Nagini stated, leaning over and placing her hands on his shoulders. "I can hurt people, too. But that doesn't mean that's all there is to it."

She shifted slightly, gazing out at the sky through a gap in the fluttering canvas. The cool evening air, heavy with the prospect of rain, tugged on her hair, a gentle breeze caressing her cheek. "We are cursed," she said softly, her voice mingling with the wind. "But we are also gifted with beauty, Credence."

Honestly, it sounded so ridiculous. Nagini was beautiful regardless of whether or not she was in human form, but there was nothing beautiful about a twisting, writhing parasitic entity. At best he could consider it an amorphous blob, a mask to hide something even worse.

His thoughts began to wander, tracing the shapes he recalled from memory. There were billowing clouds of smoke, not unlike the blackened tendrils that rose from the chimneys on cold mornings in New York. He remembered what it was like, waking before the sun had risen and sitting beside the window, watching those spiraling shapes against the dusky, predawn skies.

There was beauty in their subtle movents, the way they drifted and danced, escaping over the rooftops in the early morning twilight. But was there beauty in his home, or did it exist only in the world beyond his window?

Yes, in a way there was. Credence had seen it in the spiders scurrying across the ceiling. He would wake up before the other members of his family, opening the window and relishing the morning breeze, then slowly turn to watch the glistening webs.

And he began to think... What if he could weave his own intricate patterns, knitting together strands of smoke, mimicking the designs in nature.

Slowly, he raised his left hand, closing his eyes and sensing the flow of energy within. He nudged it forward, until it began to flow like liquid smoke, emerging from the creases in his palm.

He felt the urge to draw with it, his fingers curling, consciously directing the steady stream of smoke that curled around his wrist. He allowed it to escape, a little at a time, watching in awe as the Obscurus obeyed his command.

"Credence," Nagini whispered, her lips parting in a smile. "That's it. That's it, just a little more."

Her tone was encouraging, a network of interconnecting threads forming delicate patterns not unlike those of a spider's web. It stretched across the striped canvas, lingering in the air, shimmering like polished obsidian. Nagini gripped his arm, a faint gasp chasing her words.

It was beautiful, it was his own, a part of who he was. The Obscurial, his expression unreadable in his concentration, began drawing the shape of a tree, the outline of a bird, a great phoenix, though he didn't recognize it at first.

The strands split, woven and complex, minute details taking shape amongst the smoke.

"Is it alright?" Credence asked, unsure of himself and his creation.

He glanced at her, keeping his hand raised, waiting for her response.

Nagini's smile widened, her features illuminated by the subtle glow emanating from the center of his Obscurus. "It's beautiful, Credence," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And isn't that what it's all about? Finding inner beauty amongst the darkness, a light, something magical in each and every one of us."

Credence didn't offer much of a response. Instead he chose to sit in silence, wondering how he could have made something so unique, so gorgeous in design, until the smokey shapes dissolved and sleep closed around his weary mind.


	9. Mother, Where Are You?

"Mother? Mother, I can't... I can't find you."

It began with the tiniest twitch, a subtle hint of movement followed by a desperate cry that pierced the silence of the night.

"Mother... where are you?" Credence waited, letting his voice fade into the darkness that surrounded his fragile form. "Mother, are you there?"

There was a slight pressure, arms curling around his chest, holding on tight just as he had done so many times before. These unconscious movements were carried out during sleep, eyes squeezed shut, hot tears streaming down the sides of his face.

Drop by drop they soaked into his pillow, his chest tightening, aching with despair. He could scarcely breathe when next he called for her, choking on his own sorrow, feeling abandoned, unloved, not knowing why he continued to exist in a world that didn't want him.

"I can't find you... Please, I can't..."

Clutching his blanket against his chest, Credence sniffled and whimpered, unaware of the fact that he was talking in his sleep. It didn't happen very often, but it was heartbreaking every time Nagini awoke to find him crying beside her.

He was still asleep when Nagini adjusted her coils, draping her serpentine form across his legs, over his hips and against his chest. It was all she could do to try and comfort her friend, hoping to stem the flow of tears that dripped onto her scales.

"Ma...?" Credence whispered hoarsely, the anguish in his voice stabbing like a knife through Nagini's chest.

A few hiccuping sobs managed to force their way past the lump in his throat, the tip of her tail stroking his cheek, reaching out and wiping away his tears. Nagini gently shushed him, hissing and holding him close until silence returned once more.


End file.
